I heard that they are shuffling the x-men books again, but I am somewhat confused as to what is going where. Can someone please answer the following questions for me.1) I know Uncanny will still be called Uncanny, but I hear the New X-men will be changed. I heard one place say that it will now be the astonishing x-men, while another said it will return to eing called X-men. Can someone clear this up?2) Does anyone have any idea what they will be doing with the characters from x-treme x-men now that they are cancelling that title?

ASTONISHING X-MEN #1 Written by Joss Whedon, pencils and cover by John Cassaday.

"Gifted" pt. 1 (of 6). Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (creator of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassady bring readers the explosive #1 issue of the all-new flagship X-Men series. As part of X-Men: Reload, this issue marks a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men.

UNCANNY X-MEN #444 Written by Chris Claremont, pencils and cover by Alan Davis.

"The End of History" part 1 of 4. Beloved X-Men creators Chris Claremont and Alan Davis return to the series that started it all. New alliances are forged as old friendships are rekindled, but one thing is certain: The X-Men will never be the same.

X-MEN #157 Written by Chuck Austen, pencils and cover by Salvador Larroca.

"Day of the Atom," part 1 of 4. Uncanny X-Men scribe Chuck Austen moves to X-Men (formerly New X-Men) to team up with new regular artist Salvador Larroca as part of X-Men: Reload.

NEW X-MEN: ACADEMY X #1 Written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, pencils and covers by Randy Green.

"Choosing Sides," part 1 (of 5). For the young mutants at the Xavier Institute, life will never be the same. The children at the X-Mansion thought they had it tough when Professor X was running things -- but now that X-Men Cyclops and Emma Frost have taken over the reins of the school, they're wishing for the simpler times of yesterday. Codenames, school-issued uniforms and mandatory training sessions in the Danger Room are just a few of the changes being implemented around the Institute -- but when the entire student body is forced to divide itself up into small squads and "choose sides," Xavier's will never be the same again.

"Forging The Sword" parts 1 and 2. The island of Genosha was once a thriving nation of mutants, built from the ground up by Magneto, the mutant Master of Magnetism. Then, one day, an apocalyptic attack killed every man, woman and child, and reduced an entire society to rubble within hours. Now, Professor Charles Xavier -- legendary founder of the X-Men, and the man who dreams of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants -- has come to Genosha with one intention: to rebuild a nation from its ashes. This brand-new X-Men: Reload series features stories and art from the creative team that brought you X-Treme X-Men.

THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE: X-MEN 2004

Featuring extensive diagrams and maps of the new X-Men Mansion, profiles on your favorite heroes, and exclusive behind-the-scenes X-Men: Reload material that can only be seen here, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men 2004 is a must-have for any true Marvel fan.

DISTRICT X #1 Written by David Hine, penciled by David Yardin, cover by Steve McNiven.

"Mr. M," part 1 of 6. A new Marvel series! Welcome to Mutant Town, the dark corner of New York City where the long arm of the law has been severed clean. Here, the mutant population doesn't sport GQ style or champagne dreams. They eke out each day in squalid tenement rows and filthy streets where only one man and one law can be trusted: the X-Man Bishop.

"Earn Your Wings" parts 1 and 2 of 3. There's no rest for the weary when there are realities to save. After the devastating events of their last mission, the Exiles hope for a little downtime, only to find themselves 'ported directly into a none-too-friendly reception from the regular Marvel Universe. This X-Men: Reload issue is a perfect jumping-on point, featuring the debut of new writer Tony Bedard and the promotion of Exiles cover artist Mizuki Sakakibara to regular artist. Guest-starring the Fantastic Four and Beak from New-X-Men.

"War of the Programs" part. 1 and 2 of 3. Featuring Wolverine and Fantomex. Writer Frank Tieri and new regular artist Tom Mandrake take Weapon X in an exciting new direction. What is the Weapon X Program? What is its relationship to the shadowy past of the most famous X-Man, Wolverine? And what did Wolverine recently learn about himself that threatens to destroy everything he believes in? Guest-starring Fantomex, these X-Men: Reload issues serve as a great jumping-on point! Featuring covers by Tomb Raider artist Andy Park.

"Unnatural," parts 1 and 2 of 5. When Mystique is sent to Europe to investigate a biotech company rumored to be using mutants as guinea pigs, she discovers a mystery far greater than anything she'd imagined. Join the new X-Men: Reload creative team of Sean McKeever and Manuel Garcia for this bold new adventure featuring everyone's favorite shape-shifting secret agent.

ALPHA FLIGHT #3 Written by Scott Lobdell, pencils and cover by Clayton Henry.

"You Gotta Be Kiddin' Me," part 3 of 6. The All-New, All-Different Alpha Flight -- led by everyone's favorite Chewbacca look-alike, Sasquatch -- unites to tackle the menace of the Plodex. But will Canada's newest, hippest fighting force be able to save their maple-leaf-clad forefathers in time? Could this be -- gasp! -- the end of Puck, the Killer Canuck?

"Mind Games" part. 5 of 6. Emma Frost has freed herself from her overbearing father, but now she's on her own and in over her head with the Boston mob! Her developing mutant powers have barely saved her so far, but how will she escape mob custody with nowhere to run?

"If Looks Could Kill," part 3 of 6. The One World Church has a lovely message of eliminating all that divides us to bring about a glorious global unity. All they want is to love you till you're blue in the face -- literally! Will Cable and Deadpool allow themselves to be recruited, or will they go ballistic?

ULTIMATE X-MEN #45 Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by David Finch.

The last part of "New Mutants" sees a final battle between the X-Men and the Sentinels in the heart of Washington, D.C. How will the not-so-merry mutants deal with the awful aftermath?

The scariest part is that through all of this they managed to KEEP Chuck Austin who, quite frankly, HAS to be the WORST X-Writer in the history of the book.

Let me get this straight:

Nightcrawler is now in barely his early 20s (excuse the fact that he used to drink beers with Wolverine for years and always carried himself as much older than Cyclops and Collosus), and was fathered by an inter-dimensional demon?

Northstar has a crush on IceMan (who is suddenly unsure of his manhood as a result)?

and there are Packs of Mutant Angels, Werewolves and Devils running around everywhere?

Actually, that's Northstar, not Quicksilver, who has a crush on Iceman. They're very similar, except Northstar can fly, is Canadian, and is, if possible, even more abrasive than Quicksilver. And while I'll admit that the Draco storyline was garbage, I've found most of Austin's work on Uncanny to be very good. By and large, I actually prefer Uncanny to New, although I realize that I'm in the minority.

In two issues, Chuck Austen managed to ruin the Avengers. I'm not picking up the comic until he's off of it...and as for the X-Men, I used to read them post-Onslaught...but the continuity got so goddamned muddled that I just gave up.

OK, what happens to those of us that have subscriptions to Xtreme Xmen? Has Marvel said that they will be transferring it to a different title or are we SOL? I haven't heard anything from Marvel about this. Has anyone out there heard?

I was buying ALL the X-Men books for almost 15 years now (which is why I guess I never had a problem with X-continuity), but Chuck Austen just had to come and ruin that for me. And I gave him a damn good shot. I mean, it was always hit and miss, but never bad enough for me to stop buying. Then came "Trial of Juggernaut." It was bad to the point of my being embarrassed just to be holding an issue of that book. I know Salvador Larocca's the new regular artist (oh, NOW they get a regular artist!), and I love his art dearly, but I can't stand to look at his work if Austen's writing is going to appear over it.

In any case, I think he's only going to be on X-Men for a couple more arcs, and hopefully he'll be gone from all the books I read.

PS. I believe Variety has reported something about Bryan Singer, along with the X2 writers, writing a year of Ultimate X before they ship off to make X3. I think that could be pretty damn cool.

As for Warren's healing factor, I think they just used the secondary mutation bullshit (and it IS bullshit) to give Warren a useful ability finally. I don't think Paige's brother has a healing factor. Judging by what I've read so far, his ability is in his voice.

The secondary mutation idea was made so that they could give Emma Frost the diamond exterior ability. Morrison wanted to use Collosus (and had storylines for his "invulnerability"), but he was dead and Marvel did not want to resurrect him.

Still, a very bad idea (the only one from the X-Office during Morrison's run I might add).

I wish they had just used someone new, or even Paige though. I can't put into words how stupid I think the secondary mutations are. I suppose they could always retcon it with Sinister or the High Evolutionary, but I don't know if they will.

Yes, Husk would have been a perfect choice, since her skin changes all the time.

Too much like right, I guess.

Bad comics can usually be blamed directly on the Editors, who oversee all the books and somehow still allow huge continuity and storyline glitches to occur and constantly shoot down the ideas of writers who developed the characters in the first place.

Originally posted by Tenken347Actually, that's Northstar, not Quicksilver, who has a crush on Iceman. They're very similar, except Northstar can fly, is Canadian, and is, if possible, even more abrasive than Quicksilver. And while I'll admit that the Draco storyline was garbage, I've found most of Austin's work on Uncanny to be very good. By and large, I actually prefer Uncanny to New, although I realize that I'm in the minority.

THANK YOU! I'm in the minority too, I like Uncanny better than New X-Men. I think there has only been one or two issues of New X-Men I actually liked. And i've liked most of the recent Uncanny issues. It might just be because I like the characters though. Uncanny X-Men was like all of my favorite characters that were never used enough all thrown into one group. I hope they don't change the lineup too much although I heard that Storm and Bishop were coming over from X-Treme and Warren was headed to Excalibur. Anybody know anything certain as far as the new lineups are concerned?

I did hear that Austen's work on X-Men was just temporary though. They just got so many titles that I think they're going to have some crappy writers and artists on one of them somewhere.

Originally posted by Freeway420In two issues, Chuck Austen managed to ruin the Avengers. I'm not picking up the comic until he's off of it...and as for the X-Men, I used to read them post-Onslaught...but the continuity got so goddamned muddled that I just gave up.

i thought that what they did with new x-men initially was a major turn-off. it felt *too* gritty to be the x-men. in a nutshell, i'm saying that although characterization takes precedance over power-use (or whatever) it doesn't have to come at the price of gratuitous violence and terror.

Originally posted by DrOpStill, a very bad idea (the only one from the X-Office during Morrison's run I might add).

Disclaimer: My venom in this post is directed at Morrison. NOT Drop, with whom I respectfully dissent. Also, I'm going to sound sooooooooo much like a fanboy and geek in this post. Deal with it.

Originally posted by Wizard, Issue # 129, June 2002, Page 74Mike Cotton: Any Magneto stories planned?Grant Morrison:He's dead, basically. I have a little aftermath thing that's a one-shot, which is Havok and Polaris and these ambient magnetic fields. There's this weird thing in the ruins of Genosha and it's kind of what's left of Magneto. As far as I'm concerned, he's dead. Wipe out the past! Magneto will come back. Someone will bring him back. Someone always does. I think that might be his mutant power - he always comes back.

Again, it's that Claremont/Byrne era - they had the balls to create a bunch of new stuff and see if it worked. I'm more interested in trying some new things. Bringing back Magneto seems so obvious. Why do it?

Allegedly, this interview was apparently done in a bar with Morrison drinking (and possibly drunk off his ass). Perhaps he was so drunk, he was talking shit and not aware of what he was saying. I'm not willing to give him that out.

So Morrison kills Magneto in New X-Men 115. Go read it if you don't believe me. Then, Morrison decides to tell the comic world that "As far as I'm concerned, he's dead," and "Bringing back Magneto seems so obvious. Why do it?" Then we hit the Planet X storyline in New X-Men, where hey, guess what? Xorn was really Magneto all along - despite the fact that we saw Magneto die in New X-Men 115, some 30 issues earlier!! Oh, and by the way - Magneto, one of the most legendary, powerful mutants in all history is now a drug addict.

So let's see:1) Morrison kills Magneto, which was okay; and2) Then he tells the comic world he's dead and he doesn't want to bring him back; but3) Morrison later brings Magneto back, fucking with his own continuity and published statements; and4) He castrates Magneto and fucks up the character worse than any prior X-Men writer ever did.

I won't even get into the end of the Planet X storyline in New X-Men 150, where somehow, Magneto's able to kill Phoenix. Apparently Morrison, after lying and fucking up Magneto, decides to give his audience one last big "FUCK YOU!" by killing Jean.

So yes, I can't say that I'm too thrilled with Morrison about that one. And I'd call that a much worse idea than the secondary mutation idea.

Joss Whedon??? Geez, I might actually have to break down and finally buy an X-book. I guess I do own the last issue of Onslaught, but that was more a case of the X-Men standing around like bitches while the FF, Avengers and the Hulk took Onslaught down...when Banner was 'turned off' and the savage Hulk went batshit crazy on Onslaught, well, I'm not ashamed to say I marked out.

To be fair to Morrison, Magneto and the drugs is just Fabian Cortez all over again, so there's a precedent for it. I'm also willing to give him the benefit of trying to make it a real surprise when he brought back Magneto. But killing Jean, yes, this is going too far. Hell, the whole arc with Cyclops, Jean, and Emma was already too much, I thought.